This invention relates to shipping containers formed from a blank of paperboard, preferably corrugated paperboard, and more specifically, to form-fitting containers used for shipping and storing upholstered furniture such as upholstered chairs.
A variety of shipping containers for furniture, including upholstered furniture such as chairs, is shown in the prior art. Typical examples are found in the U.S. Pat. Nos. to Nickerson 1,686,834, Rous 2,313,362, Bishop 2,346,003, Gibbons 2,675,955, and Cavin 2,832,525. While of the form-fitting type, the arrangements shown therein have serious disadvantages insofar as they are constructed from two or more separate blank components. For this reason, a considerable amount of labor, besides auxiliary equipment, is required for assembly. Furthermore, a large number of staples is needed for joining the various components together which may result in injury to upholstery and to unskilled personnel during the packaging or unpacking operation. Moreover, as the various container-forming components are frequently of irregular shape, considerable waste of material is experienced in the preparation of the blanks. In addition, since the components are of different sizes and shapes, keeping an inventory is unduly complicated.
Another example of shipping containers in the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,982 to Richard K. Duncan. While the container of the Duncan patent is formed from a one-piece blank, it does not provide multiple layers of reinforcement behind the upper front wall.